Education & Career
How Long Does It Take to Learn to Read?
1–2 years of instruction for most children, who begin reading independently by age 6–7. Children typically start with letter recognition around age 3–4 and progress through phonics stages over kindergarten and first grade.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Nurse Practitioner?
6–8 years total after high school. This includes 4 years for a BSN, 2–4 years for an MSN or DNP, plus clinical hours and national certification.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Personal Trainer?
3–6 months to earn a nationally recognized certification. Study time ranges from 80–120 hours, plus passing a proctored exam.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Physical Therapist?
7 years after high school: 4 years of undergraduate study plus 3 years in a Doctor of Physical Therapy (DPT) program, followed by licensing exams.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Plumber?
4–5 years to become a licensed journeyman plumber through an apprenticeship. A master plumber license requires an additional 1–2 years of experience.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Master's Degree?
1.5–2 years full-time for most programs, though part-time students typically take 3–4 years. Accelerated programs can be completed in 12 months.
How Long Does It Take to Get an MBA?
2 years for a traditional full-time MBA, 2–3 years part-time, 11–16 months for accelerated programs, and 18–24 months for executive MBAs.
How Long Does It Take to Get a Pharmacy Tech Certification?
Getting a pharmacy technician certification takes 3–12 months, depending on your training path. Certificate programmes run 4–8 months, while associate degree programmes take about 2 years.
How Long Does It Take to Learn French?
600–750 hours of study for professional proficiency, according to the FSI. Most learners reach conversational fluency in 6–18 months with consistent daily practice.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Japanese?
2,200 hours of study for professional proficiency, according to the FSI. Most learners need 3–5 years of consistent study to reach conversational fluency.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Korean?
2,200 hours (88 weeks) to reach professional proficiency, according to the FSI. Conversational fluency takes 6–12 months of consistent study. Learning Hangul, the Korean alphabet, takes just 2–4 hours.
How Long Does It Take to Learn Machine Learning?
6–18 months to go from beginner to job-ready, assuming 10–20 hours of study per week. Reaching an advanced level with deep specialization takes 2–3 years.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Chiropractor?
7–8 years after high school. This includes 3–4 years of undergraduate study followed by a 4-year Doctor of Chiropractic (DC) program, plus licensing exams.
How Long Does It Take to Become a CPA?
5–7 years from starting college. This includes 4–5 years for a bachelor's degree (150 credit hours), 6–18 months to pass the CPA exam, and 1–2 years of supervised experience.
How Long Does It Take to Become an Architect?
7–11 years after high school. This includes 5 years for a B.Arch or 6–7 years for a bachelor's plus M.Arch, 2–3 years of internship experience, and passing the ARE exam.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Psychologist?
8–12 years after high school. This includes 4 years for a bachelor's degree, 2–3 years for a master's, 4–7 years for a doctorate, plus 1–2 years of supervised experience.
How Long Does It Take to Learn to Sew?
1–2 hours for basic hand stitches, 1–2 weeks to learn machine basics, and 3–6 months of regular practice to confidently sew garments.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Dental Assistant?
9–24 months for most pathways. A certificate program takes 9–12 months, a diploma program takes 12–18 months, and an associate's degree takes about 2 years. On-the-job training takes 3–6 months.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Dietitian?
6–8 years after high school. This includes a bachelor's degree (4 years), a master's degree (2 years, now required), a dietetic internship (8–24 months), and the RD exam.
How Long Does It Take to Become a Surgeon?
13–18 years after high school: 4 years of college, 4 years of medical school, and 5–7 years of surgical residency, plus 1–3 years for an optional fellowship.